Yemen Government Launches Dawn of Yemen Offensive

The Government of Yemen launched the Dawn of Yemen operation to recapture territory, including the capital, Sanaa, following recent Houthi seizures along the Red Sea coast. Saudi Arabia-backed government forces have utilized artillery and drone strikes in heavy clashes across Lahij, Taiz, al-Jawf, and Marib.

Houthi fighters claim to have downed a Saudi reconnaissance drone and an Apache helicopter. However, a Saudi-led coalition spokesman attributed a helicopter crash in Najran to a technical malfunction. In a separate incident, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported a failed attack by armed men on an LNG tanker off the coast of al-Mukalla.

The escalation has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis. The International Organization for Migration reports over 233,000 displaced persons, with thousands of refugees fleeing to Djibouti and Somalia. The World Health Organization warns that Taiz city is functionally isolated and facing critical medical shortages during a cholera outbreak.